Clip construction



Nov. 19, 1963 .1. DEKEL 3,111,129

CLIP CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 19, 1961 38 2a n-z All J 26 M m a INVENTOR. 7 K V Josepu Daxu.

w/ BY Q 3 Fl Ca- 5 M United States Patent This invention relates to a clip construction which, for example, has one of its most important application as a hair clip. More particularly, this invention relates to a clip which is capable of simple assembly and which can be used in a highly efficient manner.

Hair clips are widely employed for the holding of pin curls in place while the hair is setting after a hairdo. The pin curls comprise small, round, fiat curls which may be wound either clockwise or counterclockwise and maintained close to the scalp during setting and drying. Many e igns of hair clips are available but have proven gen erally unsatisfactory for the reason that they are unduly expensive, tiresome to handle and not designed for a suitably long life. in addition, many of the present hair clips designs are formed of two or more parts which are not capable of simple assembly. The present multi-piece hair clip designs are generally expensive and are more susceptible to breakage during use.

Existing hair clip designs are also deficient in that pressure is required to maintain the jaws thereof spread apart and the jaws must be held in this manner until the clip is put in place. In the case of a beauty operator, who must handle numerous clips, this can become an extremely tedious operation.

In a companion case of the applicant entitled Clip Construction, Serial No. 139,152, filed September 19, 1961, there is described a single piece clip construction which is easily manufactured and which overcomes the above noted deficiencies. The present invention has for its object the production of multi-piece clips which overcome the above noted deficiencies in the prior art and which also provide advantages distinct from the advantages of the clips described in said companion case.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a clip design which is characterized by extreme ease of use in that the clips can be maintained with their jaws spread apart without the application of pressure.

It is a cfurther object of this invention to provide a clip construction which can be manufactured from inexpensive and readily fabricated materials.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a clip which is composed of two or more easily assembled and easily manufactured elements and which can be used in a simple, highly efiicient manner.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a two-piece hair clip design embodying the features of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of an alternative two-piece hair clip design embodying the features of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the hair clip design in FIG. 2 as it appears in the closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a further modified two-piece hair clip design as it appears with the jaws maintained in an open position;

FIGURES 5 and 6 represent plan views of two blanks used in the manufacture of the form of two-piece hair clip of this invention shown in FIG. 1.

FTGURE 7 is a detail view of the joining and connecting means which are employed in the two-piece forms of hair clip constructions shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 8; and

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of an additional hair clip structure wherein three pieces are employed.

The present invention generally relates to a clip construction which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw along with a jaw urging member associated with the upper jaw \for maintaining the jaws in a spaced apart or in a clamped relationship. A raised portion is formed in the lower jaw and means are provided for connecting the jaw urging member with the raised portion.

As noted, the clips of this invention are formed from two or more pieces, and in one embodiment of this invention the upper jaw and associated jaw urging member are included in one piece, while the lower jaw and the raised portion thereon are included in another piece. These two pieces are then joined at the ends thereof to provide a central fold or hinge for the construction.

The piece which comprises the upper jaw and the jaw urging member is also designed most advantageously to include a pair of arms disposed on either side of the jaw urging member. in addition, this piece contains an actuating handle or tongue which is formed by the end portion of the jaw urging member.

in an additional embodiment of the invention, the clips maybe formed of more than two pieces. For example, the jaw urging member can comprise an additional piece which is connected to the upper jaw at the same time the lower jaw and its associated raised portion will be joined with the upper jaw to form a central hinge or fold for the construction.

In order to provide the construction with a means for retaining the jaws in spaced apart relation or in clamped relation as desired, the jaw urging member is designed whereby the distance between the anchored portions thereof sli htly exceeds the distance between the aforementioned connecting means and the point where the jaw urging member extends from or is joined to the upper jaw. With this arrangement, the jaw urging member comprises a force directing means which tends to force the upper and lower jaws away from each other when the actuatin handle portion thereof is pressed. At the same time, the force directing character of the jaw urging member acts to force the jaws into clamped relation when the jaws are brought together.

Referring to the drawings, the clips illustrated are of the type which provide for the clamping or holding of a pin curl between upper and lower jaws. The clip it) shown in FIGURE 1 is provided with a design wherein the jaws taper toward the end. On the other hand, the clip 11?. illustrated in FIGURE 2 is designed to have an essentially rectangular shape. It will be apparent that the over-all designs are not critical and that various shapes and sizes of the clips can be employed in the practice of this invention.

The clips illustrated are folded centrally at 14 to form upper and lower jaws l6 and 18. Arms 2% extend along the sides of the upper jaw from the end thereof to the fold 14. A jaw urging member 22 is formed to extend between the arms ill from the point 24 on the upper jaw in. The member 22. terminates in an actuating tongue 26.

Con ecting means for the jaw urging member 22 are located at a fulcrum point and comprise a. tab 28 formed in the raised portion 3% of the lower jaw 15. The upper jaw 16 is provided with an opening 32 for receiving the tab The jaw urging member 22 is dimensioned whereby its length will be at least equal to and preferably slightly greater than the distance from the point 24 to the tab 23. Therefore, when the clip is to he made ready for use it will be necessary to move the opening 32 into position over the tab 23. As shown in FIGURE 7, the member 22 when designed to have the aforementioned greater length will normally be disposed in the dotted line position. By bearing down on the member 22, the member will slide over the tab 28 until the tab fits into 8 the opening 32.. At this time, the leading edge 3-; of the opening will bear against the tab and force will be directed along the member 22 as suggested by the arrow 36 (PEG- URE 3). It will be apparent that the construction will be held in clamped relationship with this arrangement.

When it is desired to open the clips, the actuating handle portion 26 will be pressed causing the upper jaw to pivot about the tab 28. At this time, once a neutral point in the arrangement is passed, the member 22 will maintain the jaws in a spaced part relationship. The force occasioned by the member 22 will be in the direction of the arrow 37 shown in FIGURE 4.

Particular blanks suitable for use in the manufacture of the clips of this invention are shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. In the preparation of a clip from blanks of this type, the blank 38 is crimped across the tab portion to produce a raised portion 36. The end of the blank is also curved as shown in FIGURE 7 whereby the projection 42 on the curved end can extend outwardly into engamement with the bar 44 formed in the blank lt As shown in FIGURE 7, the end of blank it) containing the crossbar 44 is curved over whereby the projection 42 will fit over the bar and provide a hinged relationship. To complete the clip assembly from the blanks 33 and 48, the opening 32 in the jaw positioning member 22 is disposed in line with the tab 28 and forced over the tab as previously explained.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 8 illustrate a variation in means for joining the pieces of the clip construction. In this case the jaw urging member 22 is formed as a separate piece. The portion of the upper jaw 16 which connects the arms 2-1) is then fabricated with tabs as and 48. These tabs provide a V-shaped recess for receipt of the end of the jaw urging member. The end of the member 22 will be fit into this recess and then the opening 32 will be pressed into engagement with the tab 28.

FIGURE 8 illustrates an additional modification which includes a three piece construction. Specifically, the illustrated clip comprises a first piece which includes the lower jaw 18 and raised portion 30 for provision of the connecting means. A second piece of this construction includes the arms 28 terminating in the end of the upper jaw. At this end of the upper jaw tabs at and 48 are formed whereby a third piece including the jaw urging member 22 may be disposed in the construction.

In clips of the type described, it is preferred that the raised portion 36 be crirnped in a manner such that it will extend above the plane of the arms 28 when the clip is in closed position. With this arrangement a more positive clamping force is realized and thicker curls or the like can be held with the jaw.

An additional advantage of the present construction relates to the ability of the clips to be disassembled. Thus, if any portion of the clips should for some reason be defective, this portion can be replaced in a simple fashion. Furthermore, the use of a rippled lower jaw, as suggested in FIGURE 4, is in many cases desirable and with the instant clips it will only be necessary to provide the lower piece since this piece can be interchanged at will with the more conventional fiat lower jaw shown.

As mentioned in the aforementioned companion application, clips having the force directing characteristics above noted need not be manufactured from expensive materials. Thus, relatively soft steel can be employed which will decrease the expense of the clips and which will also decrease die wear in their manufacture. Furthermore, the clips of this invention can be composed of various nonmetallie materials including any of several plastic materials. Obviously the use of different materials for the separate pieces is possible with this arrangement. Thus, a plastic material may be employed for the lower jaw, while the piece containing the jaw urging member 22 can be metal, to take advantage of its greater rigidity.

it will apparent that various other connecting means can be employed for connecting the various pieces. The raised portion 3i) could be provided with a pair of tabs on either side of the crimp and recesses in corresponding portions of the member 22 could take the place of opening Similar variations are possible with respect to the means connecting the various pieces, it being understood that the illustrated means are provided only as examples, and other means capable of equivalent functions are equally feasible.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the above described clip construction which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

1 claim:

1. A clip assembly having an upper and a lower jaw with work engaging portions at one of the ends thereof and handle forming portions at the other ends thereof, said jaws having a pivot point between the ends thereof for pivoting the jaws relative to one another to enable the work engaging portions to be separated by force applied to the handle forming portions thereof, one of said jaws having a resilient jaw urging member extending from a point adjacent the work engaging end thereof toward the opposite end thereof and being unconnected with said one jaw for the remainder of the length thereof, and the other jaw having connecting means which engages with said jaw urging member and places the jaw urging member under initial compression to apply a jaw closing force applied along the jaw ur ing member toward the base end thereof to urge the work engaging end of said one jaw toward the work en aging end of the other jaw, said clip assembly being constructed of at least two pieces, said jaw urging member being a part of one of the pieces and said other jaw including said connecting means forming part of the other piece, force applied to said handle-forming portions of the clip urging the work engaging portions of the clip apart against the restraining force of said jaw urging member.

2. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein said jaw urging member is a separate piece from said one jaw, and means for providing a connecting joint between the jaw urging member and said one jaw, said connecting joint including a V-shaped recess on one of the jaw urging members and said one jaw which recess forms a crotch for receiving a projecting portion of the other of same.

3. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein said one jaw and its associated jaw urging member being an integral part of the same assembly piece and the two pieces of the assembly being interconnected at the handle-forming ends of the jaws.

References tilted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,335 Wcstby Mar. 11, 1947 2,833,292 Wirsing May 6, 1958 2,838,055 Kertesz June 10, 1958 2,849,008 Otten Aug. 26, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,894 Canada Sept. 9, 1958 

1. A CLIP ASSEMBLY HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER JAW WITH WORK ENGAGING PORTIONS AT ONE OF THE ENDS THEREOF AND HANDLE FORMING PORTIONS AT THE OTHER ENDS THEREOF, SAID JAWS HAVING A PIVOT POINT BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF FOR PIVOTING THE JAWS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO ENABLE THE WORK ENGAGING PORTIONS TO BE SEPARATED BY FORCE APPLIED TO THE HANDLE FORMING PORTIONS THEREOF, ONE OF SAID JAWS HAVING A RESILIENT JAW URGING MEMBER EXTENDING FROM A POINT ADJACENT THE WORK ENGAGING END THEREOF TOWARD THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF AND BEING UNCONNECTED WITH SAID ONE JAW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND THE OTHER JAW HAVING CONNECTING MEANS WHICH ENGAGES WITH SAID JAW URGING MEMBER AND PLACES THE JAW URGING MEMBER UNDER INITIAL COMPRESSION TO APPLY A JAW CLOSING FORCE APPLIED ALONG THE JAW URGING MEMBER TOWARD THE BASE END THEREOF TO URGE THE WORK ENGAGING END OF SAID ONE JAW TOWARD THE WORK ENGAGING END OF THE OTHER JAW, SAID CLIP ASSEMBLY BEING CONSTRUCTED OF AT LEAST TWO PIECES, SAID JAW URGING MEMBER BEING A PART OF ONE OF THE PIECES AND SAID OTHER JAW INCLUDING SAID CONNECTING MEANS FORMING PART OF THE OTHER PIECE, FORCE APPLIED TO SAID HANDLE-FORMING PORTIONS OF THE CLIP URGING THE WORK ENGAGING PORTIONS OF THE CLIP APART AGAINST THE RESTRAINING FORCE OF SAID JAW URGING MEMBER. 